NXP Semiconductors N.V. last week announced that Qualcomm Technologies Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc., will integrate NXP's near NFC and embedded secure element products across Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, 600, 400 and 200 processor-based platforms, according to a press release. Qualcomm Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies.

The agreement will enable the rapid introduction of NFC and eSE on Snapdragon-based devices to meet market demands for increased functionality in a broad range of consumer applications, according to the announcement. NXP said the new reference designs expand the reach of NFC beyond the smartphone and into other applications such as home automation, consumer electronics, automotive, smart appliances, personal computing and wearables.

"NXP's NFC and eSE chipsets are a natural addition to Qualcomm Technologies’ platforms, given NXP’s expertise in enabling secure transactions," said Dr. Cormac Conroy, vice president, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "Qualcomm Technologies is committed to offering the industry's leading silicon technology that not only fuels today's latest devices but also drives and enables innovative new applications and form factors in the future."

NXP said the availability of its NFC and eSE solutions for Snapdragon products will help accelerate the deployment of secure transactions into a myriad of new applications, such as mobile payments and digital identity for mobile, automotive and Internet of Everything segments, complementing Qualcomm Technologies' advanced security solutions. The new offering will feature the NQ220 module, which was derived from the recently launched NXP PN66T module. The NQ220 is designed to enable service providers to deliver new applications by simplifying the process of deploying credentials to devices, significantly reducing design costs and time-to-market considerations for mobile wallets and additional applications such as prepaid payment, transit and access control.

"We continue to see the market use and acceptance of NFC grow daily, with new applications being created at an astounding rate. Collaborating with Qualcomm Technologies to provide full eSE and NFC functionality on its industry-leading platforms will further expand this growth potential," said Rafael Sotomayor, senior vice president at NXP Semiconductors. "By working together, each company is able better to focus on its respective area of expertise, ensuring the industry receives a best-in-class, robust, tested and certified solution that can be designed in quickly by OEMs with minimal effort."